Other subjects related to veterinary assistant

How will your veterinary assistant education stack up?

If you want to study veterinary assisting at home, you should be aware of how your education will compare to the education available elsewhere in the US. Below is some information to help you get started.
There are 242 traditional veterinary assistant schools in the US.

Top Schools

In 2010, the top schools in the country with veterinary assistant programs were:

Michigan State University - located in East Lansing, Michigan

Purdue University-Main Campus - located in West Lafayette, Indiana

Johnson College - located in Scranton, Pennsylvania

Student Demographics

In the US, 5,840 students graduated from veterinary assistant programs in 2010.
Of these students, 1,538 graduated from certificate programs in veterinary assisting and 4,302 graduated from undergraduate programs in veterinary assisting.

Academics

Students can pursue education in veterinary assisting at the following levels:

Associate's Degree in Veterinary Assisting

Bachelor's Degree in Veterinary Assisting

Certificate in Veterinary Assisting

During the course of their veterinary assistant education, students can hope to gain the following skills and/or knowledge:

Veterinary Medical Terminology

Dexterity

Time Management

Clerical

Observation

Cost

On average in 2010, veterinary assistant schools in the US charged $12,563 in tuition per year.
The following veterinary assistant schools had the highest tuition rates:

Otterbein University - located in Westerville, Ohio, students paid $27,321

Wilson College - located in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, students paid $26,930

Mount Ida College - located in Newton Center, Massachusetts, students paid $23,335

The veterinary assistant schools that charged students the lowest tuition rates were:

Navajo Technical College - located in Crownpoint, New Mexico, students paid $1,555

Pickens Technical College - located in Aurora, Colorado, students paid $2,106

Colby Community College - located in Colby, Kansas, students paid $2,720

How will your veterinary assistant job compare?

A large number of veterinary assisting majors work as veterinary assistants after graduation.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that in 2010, 70,530 veterinary assistants were working in the US.
The states with the largest populations of veterinary assistants are:

California - 6,940 Veterinary Assistants

Texas - 5,870 Veterinary Assistants

Florida - 3,980 Veterinary Assistants

Projected Growth

The following states are projected to have the fastest growth for veterinary assistants over the next few years:

Oklahoma - 42%

Virginia - 32%

Utah - 32%

Salary

Veterinary assistants in the US can make an average of $22,280 per year.
However, the salary for a veterinary assistant can greatly vary based on factors such as shift differentials, your exact job description or your previous performance reviews.
Approximately 10 percent of veterinary assistants earn less than $15,360 per year, while another 10 percent earn more than $57,300 per year.
The states with the highest average salary for a veterinary assistant are:

Washington DC - $38,220 per year

Massachusetts - $30,820 per year

Connecticut - $29,090 per year

On average, a veterinary assistant earns the least in the following states: